Retail Incubator

FLOOR--PLAN RETAIL INCUBATOR

What are the costs of this program?

The investment to participate in the 12 week program is $150 with an option for financial assistance.  Completion of the program and business registration enables participants to apply for $700 in grant funds from reSET to use for initiatives that will expand their small business.

What are the benefits?

reSET brings its human-centered programming expertise to the Floor–Plan Retail Incubator through 12 weeks of sessions designed to help early stage entrepreneurs access tools and expertise that further defines their retail business. During this program, entrepreneurs have access to a number of benefits as reSET coworking members:

• 40 hours monthly workday access to reSET’s coworking space in Hartford 
• Free admission to reSET workshops
• Reduced admission to reSET events
• Invitation to networking and social events
• Reduced rate meeting & event space rental
• Mailbox
• Participate in peer-to-peer feedback with fellow entrepreneurs

In addition, completion of the program enables participants to apply for a $700 grant from reSET, funded by the CT DECD, to advance their small business!

The 2024 Floor-Plan Retail Incubator will be held from August 14 to October 23.
During the 12-week program, participants will meet on Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 8 PM and on Saturdays for half-day sessions, tentatively scheduled for August 24, September 28, and October 19 The program covers the basics of business planning:

• Creating a business plan & elevator pitch
• Understanding your customer
• Developing an online presence
• Marketing & branding
• Pricing your products 
• Getting to market
• Understanding and accessing resources to grow

In addition, reSET + BLD will connect our entrepreneurs with experienced mentors, potential investors, and access to resources, such as popup markets in and around Hartford.

Who is it for?

The Floor–Plan Retail Incubator is for individuals and micro-enterprises (businesses of 5 people or fewer), based in Connecticut and looking to scale their product based business to the next level. The program prioritizes Hartford residents, Hartford-based businesses, businesses owned by women and people of color, and businesses that primarily serve Hartford residents.

In Partnership With BL&D

Breakfast Lunch & Dinner (BL&D) creates collective culture by building unique, diverse ventures that bring people together authentically. Breakfast Lunch & Dinner leverages the assets of the Connecticut region to bring the best of the community forward to showcase via projects of our partners and clients. Hartford, like many cities, is receiving revived interest from investors, and new foot traffic that will change the city. Breakfast Lunch & Dinner positions our work to make sure everyone is a part of that revival.

Floor-Plan: A Retail Activation Initiative

Working with a broad array of community partners, including reSET,  BL&D’s Floor–Plan initiative creates large-scale retail activations throughout greater Hartford, such as the Winterfair Holiday Market, Know Good Markets, The CAF in downtown Hartford, and more. BL&D connects vacant storefronts and pedestrian areas with existing community events and live music programming to create new activities that drive foot traffic and help shift community consumer habits back to Hartford. In addition to the Retail  Incubator, Floor–Plan includes a full-time retail store program, an e-commerce platform, and a pop-up shop booking platform.

Participating Retail Incubator businesses have access to the following opportunities:

• Market events
• Pop-ups
• Art installations
• & more activities